Review of the Harry Potter Series

Maybe it isn’t wise to make my first post about something controversial. But I made a conscious decision when I created this blog not to force content. I don’t want to find something to post about just for the sake of posting. I want to be inspired to post. So, without further ado…

I just finished the Harry Potter series of books. I really enjoyed every book. I realize that because they are set in a world filled with magic, that they put many people off. Some would even go so far as to say that the books are subtle propaganda for occultism. While I appreciate the concern, especially from people who are extra sensitive to the occult, I do not believe that there is any hidden or unintentional agenda within the series.

The magic in the world of Harry Potter is just part of his world. The good guys and the bad guys use magic for good and bad reasons. Magic isn’t the story. The internal and external battle between good and evil is the story.

Do the good guys bend the rules? Do they often struggle trying to find the courage to do the right thing? The answer is yes to both questions. But despite the many struggles the characters have throughout the series, they ultimately prove to make the right decisions. Sound familiar? By the way, the bad guys are really and clearly bad. There is no gray area.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot and ruin it for anyone who plans on reading the series, but I did want to at least say that I have read the series and it is probably the single best fictional fantasy adventure series I have ever read.

J.K.Rowling has proved to me that she is a great writer. She has an extraordinary ability to capture the uniqueness and lovableness of human character. She uses archetypes within the series, but she still manages to make them come alive in a way many writers can’t-she just “gets” people. By the end of the first book I knew the characters. They were my friends.

Rowling is also very easy to read. Some authors, despite their ability to write a good plot or develop a story, are just plain clumsy or too stiff to read. Rowling was as easy for me to read as my own thoughts are.

I highly recommend the series. But I would caution against reading them if you have a weakness for the occult. I personally don’t believe these books are occult propaganda at all, but I do respect that some people could make such a connection and be scandalized by it. I don’t want that to happen based on my recommendation.

Also, keep in mind that as the series progresses, the stories become more and more mature. A good rule of thumb is Harry’s age. If he is 15 in the story, than I would say the reader should be at least 15 and so on. Each book spans one school year in Harry’s life from age 10/11 to 17/18.